


What Am I?

by HylianDerp



Series: A Royal Match [7]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Chubby Prompto Argentum, Hopeful Ending, M/M, Niflheim Prince Prompto Argentum
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-02
Updated: 2021-01-02
Packaged: 2021-03-12 08:35:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,141
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28507545
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HylianDerp/pseuds/HylianDerp
Summary: Now that Prompto and Noctis are engaged, Prompto needs to know why Lucis and Niflheim had been at war for so long.
Relationships: Prompto Argentum/Noctis Lucis Caelum
Series: A Royal Match [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2082525
Comments: 4
Kudos: 22





	What Am I?

Noctis and Prompto were huddled together, leaning over a collection of files spread across Noct's desk.

"Alright, just to double-check: the terms of the treaty have you living here? I'm not going to cause an international incident by showing you classified information?" Noctis felt bad about asking-- Prompto was so nice, it felt kind of rude to suggest that he was even capable of harboring ulterior motives-- but matters of state required a certain degree of caution.

"Yes, I'll be living here, and no, you won't cause any incidents. My role in the treaty isn't to sabotage Lucis; I'm just here to make sure that Niflheim won't be taken advantage of." The earnest expression on Prompto's face was almost more reassuring than the words themselves, not to mention the fact that Noctis found it utterly adorable. He definitely lucked out on the arranged marriage front. Just imagining being paired off with Secretary Claustra's niece, or even worse, Prince Ravus… Noctis had to suppress the urge to shudder in horror.

"Good to know," Noctis responded half-jokingly. "So, how much do you know about Niflheim's military?"

"Honestly, not a lot. I know a few high-ranking officers by sight, if not by name, and I know the order of promotion titles, but my grandfather kept me out of most of the military talks. I usually handled civil service. Y'know, education, healthcare, that kind of stuff." Prompto frowned, suddenly self-conscious. "Is that a problem?"

"Not at all," Noct reassured. "I just needed a baseline for what we need to go through." Noctis shuffled through the files in front of him, searching for a mission report nearly as old as himself. "C'mon, I know you're in here," he muttered, before letting out a noise of satisfaction.

"Here! About twenty years ago, we sent a spy to one of your military bases that was rumored to have a bunch of creepy, super unethical medical experiments. Turned out that the rumors were true. The scientist in charge, Verstael Besithia? He was cloning himself in order to mass-produce an army. Look!"

Prompto leaned over the file…

_ M.E. 737-IV-5th _

_ Guard Fortis and I have arrived at the rumored location near Ghorovas Rift. It appears that at least part of our intel was correct: there appear to be three main buildings, two of which are close together, built into the mountains themselves, along with somewhere around a dozen accessory buildings. The main facilities are heavily guarded, despite being inaccessible to all but airships. The only thing they can expect to need to keep out are the garulas. Or us, I suppose. There’s a haven nearby we can set up at and make further plans in the morning. _

_ M.E. 737-IV-6th _

_ Guard Fortis and I seem to be about the same size as the guards, whose appearances are fully obscured by their uniforms. If we can figure out their routes and rotations, we may be able to find a couple to steal their uniforms, and use that to get in. _

_ M.E. 737-IV-10th _

_ We finally managed to get in. We started with the building that was on its own. It appears to be predominantly weapons storage. There were racks of guns, crates of ammunition, and a few mechs, but nothing even remotely suggesting a research facility. We’ll have to check the other buildings tomorrow to see if they’re more fruitful. _

_ M.E. 737-IV-11th _

_ Our intel was DEFINITELY correct. Fortis and I split up, each of us searching a different building. Fortis found what he said looked like a massive machine turning out an android army. We both found more weapons caches, and some offices. I found exactly what we had been told: human experimentation. There were rooms and rooms of tanks, each tank containing identical, numerically labeled and physically barcoded toddlers! Unfortunately, there were far too many toddlers and soldiers for us to do anything but make note and move along. _

_ While I was in one of the tank chambers, I witnessed something unexpected: the Emperor was visiting! Research Chief Besithia was leading him through, explaining some of the technical details of the cloning process, including the fact that he used his own DNA as the source. He then told the Emperor to select whichever child he saw fit to raise as his successor. Emperor Aldercapt seemed to choose a tank at random. Chief Besithia then walked to a control panel at the end of the row, pushed a series of buttons, and released the toddler. The Emperor scooped the toddler up, who seemed to be waking up. He declared that the child would be called Prompto, and was to henceforth be his grandson. _

Prompto looked up. All the blood had drained from his face.

"Is this saying that I'm a clone? And the only reason I was raised as a prince was random chance?  _ And you already knew? _ " 

"I mean, yeah? We weren't going to allow you to stay in the Citadel without doing a thorough background check, even if you are nominally royalty. Dignitaries who fail are put up at the Caelum Via hotel, instead; we can't risk assassination attempts.

"Marshall Leonis was assigned to your background check. He's the one who put two and two together. Makes sense, since he was the one who saw what happened."

Prompto looked back at the file, scanning for the name of the Crownsguard member who had submitted the report. "Wait, the Marshall was the spy who wrote this? Of course it's the one Lucian officer I already knew before I got here. I can't tell you how many times he and General Glauca nearly came to blows during the initial cease-fire meetings."

Noct gave a wry grin. "Is that a good thing? Already recognizing Cor?"

Prompto sighed in response. "I don't know if I'd define it as good or bad, considering. It definitely makes it harder for me to deny, though. Every time I've met him, he's given off an aura of blunt honesty."

"Yep, that sure sounds like him. Used to cause him no end of trouble when he was younger. He had a real bad habit of putting his foot in his mouth."

"So say this is all true, and I'm a clone of a mad scientist. Doesn't that bother you?"

Noct shrugged. "Not really. Just because you look like the dude doesn't mean you're going to have his personality, especially since you were raised so differently. Everything about you radiates compassion, how could I find something wrong with that?"

Noctis pressed his hands to his fiancé's cheeks, squishing them until he resembled a confused blowfish. "I promise, where you came from has nothing to do with how I feel about you." He pressed a single kiss to Prompto's forehead before withdrawing. "Alright?"

Prompto nodded. At the very least, he knew he could trust Noctis to be sincere. "Alright."


End file.
